Printing machine



Oct. m, 1944. c. J. HUEBER 2,359,857

PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed May 6, 1941 13 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. Carl Jfzwfizr ATTORNEYS Oct. 19, 1944-. c, HUEBER 2,359,857

PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed May 6, 1941 15 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. [arl flueier 4 TTORNEYSL Oct. 10, 1944.

c. J. HUEBER PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed May 6, 1941 15 Sheets-Sheet 4 I N VEN TOR. arl lfflueer y 2041/844 MM AZTOF/I/[YS Oct. 10, 1944. q HUEBER 2,359,857

PRINTING MACiiINE Original Filed May 6. 1 941 13 Sheets-Sheet 5 .D 16* JOHN 005/ 123 MAIN ST. 5

L W v 107 300 MHOL 109 .T2 VHAM as! v 109 11 1111 oaAom Oct. 10, 1944. Q 2,359,857

PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed May 6, 1941 13 Sheets-Sheet 6 JOHN DOE 123 MAIN ST. CHICAGO ILL.

i JOHN DOE I I 123 MAIN sT, CHICAGO ILL.

JOHN DOE E 123 MAIN ST. Q 510 K .5260 513 51a 7 jizfiwz i073 Karl Jflaeer 53, ZOWM W Oct. 10, 1944. c. J. HUEBER 2,359,857

I PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed May 6, 1941 I 15 Sheets-Sheet 8 JOHN DOE 123 MAIN ST. CHICAGO ILL.

300 MHOL:

m oaAomo Inz/nfar: far! J flueber Jllornqys 15 Sheets-Sheet 9 C. J. HUEBER PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed May 6, 1941 015 400 :4 nor: Dom

3w :5: ME

4 00(210 Fm Z22 WNH Get. 10, 1944.

15 Sheets-Sheet 10 C. J. HUEBER PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed May 6, 1941 Oct. 10, 1944.

Oct. 10, 1944. c. J; HUEBER PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed May 6, 1941 15 Sheets-Sheet ll ZQQMMU/MM Jftorn e ys Get. 10, 1944. c. J. HUEBER PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed m 6, 1941 15 Sheets-Sheet 13 Jr'zdrzaar: ('arl J .Haeber Patented Oct. 10, 1944 PRINTING MACHINE Carl J. Hueber, Euclid, Ohio, ass'ignor to Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation,

Cleveland,

Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Original application May 6, 1941, Serial No.

392,151. Divided and this 1944, Serial No. 538,751

3 Claims.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 392,151, filed May 6, 1941.

This'invention relates to printing machines of the kind through which printing devices are sequentially passed, and more particularly to selectively controlling operation of one or more mechanisms embodied in the machine under control of identifying means included on the printing devices.

In machines of the aforesaid character the printing devices are customarily advanced in a step by step manner from a magazine, into which the printing devices are introduced, to a printing position or other place in the machine Whereat operations are performed directly therefrom or under control thereof, and thereafter the printing devices are collected in thesame sequence as that in which they were arranged when introduced into the magazine.

While the present invention may be used with any of a wide variety of printing devices, the illustrated form of the invention is adapted for use with printing devices of the character disclosed, for example, in Gollwitzer Patent No. 2,132,412, patented October 11, 1938, printing devices of this character being arranged to have index tabs detachably connected thereto so as to project beyond one edge thereof at selected positions along such edge, this particular arrangement being shown and described in detail in Gollwitzer Patent No. 2,049,439, patented August 4, 1936. However, the invention may also be used with other printing devices, as for example, those of the character shown in Gollwitzer Patent No. 1,992,661, patented February 26, 1935, which is to say, printing devices of the one piece variety that have notches or other lacuna selectively located along one edge thereof to afford identifying means on the printing device. Furthermore the invention may also be used with printing devices of character comprising a frame enclosing a thin sheet of stencil paper or the like and in which frame perforations, notches or other lacuna may be selectively located to afford identifying means on such printing devices.

In those instances where the printing devices such as the foregoing, or other equivalent devices, are equipped with identifying means and the operation of various mechanisms embodied in the machine are to be controlled in accordance with the characteristics imparted to the respective printing devices by the identifying means included thereon, each such printing device is passed to a sensing station in the machine whereat detecting means cooperate with the identifying means on such printing device and such detecting means are caused to assume various positions in accordance with the characteristics of the identifying means with which the detecting means cooperate in a particular operation thereof. Other application June 5,

means are provided in the machine that are re-.

sponsive to the various positions that may be assumed by the detecting means and such other means are customarily arranged to selectively control the operation of one or more mechanisms included in the machine.

The means in the machine responsive to the identifying means of the printing devices including the aforesaid detecting means is commonly known as a selector mechanism and such a mechanism may be employed to selectively govern or control many different operations or operative mechanisms of a printing machine in accordance with the identifying means carried by the individual printing devices which are passed through the machine.

For example, the selector mechanism may be employed to Warn the operator by means of a suitable signal such as a light or a bell when a printing device having identifying means thereon at a particular position is being advanced to an operative position in the machine. Such a Warning may be desirable for a variety of reasons, as for example when the operator desires to utilize a particular or different type of form or letter in connection with all printing devices bearing particular identifying means. In other instances the selector mechanism may be utilized to selectively control the operation of the printing means of the printing machine so as to print or skip each printing device in accordance with the sensed presence or absence of certain identifying means on the printing devices. In other instances it may be desirable to control other operative mechanisms of the machine, as for example, a numbering machine, or the selector mechanism may in some instances govern the final disposal of the printing devices after they have passed printing position in such a manner as to remove selected ones of the printing devices from the series thereof which has been passed through the machine. It is to be understood that the foregoing are merely typical examples of uses to which a selector mechanism may be put and that there are many other machine operations that may be controlled by a selector mechanism.

An important object is to enable the identification or classification areas required on printing devices used in printing machines of the aforesaid character to be materially reduced in size, thereby to enable the number of possible classifications to be increased with respect to printing devices of any given or selected size; and a further object is to confine the sensing means in such a printing machine to a relatively small area While at the same t me enabling a large number of sensing positions to be employed.

A further object is to enable a high degree of accuracy to be obtained in the sensing of the identification means of printing devices used in printing machines of the aforesaid character; and a further object related to the foregoing is to relate the sensing means and the control means of a selector mechanism in a novel and advane tageous manner.

Other and further objects of the invention 4 are to utilize a vertically reciprocable sensing A in the selector mechanism of printing machines of the aforesaid character; to shield the moving parts of the sensing means while providing for convenient setting thereof; to insure accuracy of the sensing operations in such a machine through interrelated means for accurately positioning the printing devices during the sensing accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show a preferred embodiment and the principles thereof and what I'now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying those principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a printing machine embodying the features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view taken partially in section and illustrating the machine with the table top removed so as to expose the internal mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

adapted for use with perforated tabs such as those shown in Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 is a view showing a printing device having index tabs of the perforated type mounted 7 tab support adapted for use with the pin car- Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmental plan view,

similar to Fig. 2, and illustrating further details of construction;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view showing the forward or operative face of one form of printing device adapted to be used in the machine disclosed herein;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the rear or reverse face of the printing device;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a pin carrier or selector bar of the 24-position type;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 88 of Fig. 7;

Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are similar elevational views showing the different types of selector pins adapted for use with identifying means such as the tabs shown on the printing device in Figs.

5 and 6;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a LS-position pin carrier or selector bar adapted for use in the'present machine;

Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken along the line Fig. 14 is an elevational view showing a selector pin of a different type in an operative relationship to an index tab of the embossed rier;

Fig. 21 is a fragmental vertical sectional view taken along the line 2I-2l of Fig. 2 and showing a portion of the sensing means and the related mechanism;

Fig. 22 is a fragmental plan section taken along the line 2222 of Fig. 21;

Fig. 23 is a fragmental Iplan section taken along the line 23-23 of Fig. 21;

Fig. 24 is a fragmental plan view taken as viewed from the line 2-4--24 of Fig. 21;

Fig. 25 is a fragmental vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 25-25 of Fig. 2 and showing portions of the sensing means, the storage means and the associated control means;

Fig. 26 is a fragmental vertical elevational View taken substantially along the line 2626 in Fig. 2

Fig. 27 is a fragmental vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 21-21 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 28 is a fragmental plan view taken substantially along the line 28-28 of Fig. 25 and illustrating in a diagrammatic manner the connection of the various parts of the selector mechanism.

The machine generally For purposes of disclosure the invention is herein illustrated as embodied in a printing machine having a desk-like frame I00 providing a table top '1' upon which envelopes, letters, forms, or the like may be positioned for the performance of a printing operation thereon. The machine frame I00 is so constructed and arranged that an operator may be seated in front of the frame I00 and adjacent to a forward edge l0! of the table top '1', and while seated in this working position the operator may place the sheet or form over a printing position V which is provided in the table top T adjacent to the forward edge l0l thereof.

The present machine is of the character through which a plurality of printing devices D are advanced along a printing device guideway in series and in a step by step manner by suitable feeding means from a supply magazine M to the printing position V, and'thence to a collector means K wherein the printing devices D are refiled in their original sequence. When a printing device D comes to rest at printing position V, a suitable printing means such as a platen mechanism P is operable through a printing stroke to form the desired printing impression on the sheet.

The printing devices D employed in a printing machine of this character are so constructed and arranged that index or identifying means representing one or more classifications to which a printing device may pertain may be incorporated in or carried by each printing device, and variantly settable selector means are incorporated in the present machine for controlling various operative mechanisms of the machine in accordance with the characteristics imparted to the printing devices by identifying means thereon. The selector means embodies a variantly settable sensing means S which senses the identifying means of each printing device D as it comes to rest at a sensing station II, and in accordance with the sensed indication pertaining to each printing device, the operation of various opera tive mechanisms may be controlled. Such controlling action may be exerted in various ways, as for example afford a warning signal, or in the control of the platen mechanism P to either print or skip the particular printing device when it reaches printing position.

The printing devices While the selector means of the present invention is, in most of its aspects, independent of the particular form or type of printing device and independent of the particular type of identifying means employed to represent the identity or classification of such printing devices, it will be understood that the specific form and relationship of the elements and mechanisms of the printing machine are influenced by the character of the printing means and identifying means to be employed therewith. Thus the printing machine disclosed herein is constructed and arranged particularly for the use of printing devices D such as those shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, and for the selection of such printing devices D for print or skip operation of the machine in accordance with identifying means in the form of projecting index tabs I20 adapted to be carried in selected positions along the upper edge of each printing device.

One form of such a printing device D is illustrated and claimed in the patent to Gollwitzer, No. 2,132,412, patented October 11, 1938, and is shown in Figs. 15 and 16 hereof. The printing device D comprises a rectangular sheet metal frame I 05 having a curled lower edge I06 and lugs I! forming a guideway on the operative face thereof into which an embossable printing plate I08 may be inserted by an endwise movement. Spring latches I09 formed from the metal of the frame I engage the ends of the printing plate I08 to retain the same releasably in position on the frame. Along the upper portion of the operative face of the printing frame an index card IIO may be positioned as by a curled upper edge III and a plurality of lugs II2 formed on the frame; and an index impression II6 may be made on the card IIO from the type characters I I6 embossed on the printing plate I08. Such embossure of the type characters on the printing plate I08 maybe accomplished by means of an embossing machine such as that shown in Duncan Patent No. 1,518,904, patented December 9, 1924. At its opposite ends the frame I05 is reversely bent to provide spacin flanges I I1 which project rearwardly from the frame so as to space the printing devices one from the other and thereby prevent damag to the type characters I I6 of the printing plate during storage, handling or feeding of the printing devices. When the printing devices are stacked one against or on top of the other, the spacing flanges III of a particular frame I05 engage fiat areas I I9 formed on the upper or operative face of the adjacent frame I05 beyond the ends of the printing plate The printing devices D as herein shown are adapted for identification through the use of identifying means such as index tabs I20 which may be selectively disposed in a projecting relation along the upper edge of the printing frame I05 in any selected one or more of a plurality of spaced positions defined by mounting sockets I2l formed on the frame I05. The mounting sockets I2I are preferably formed by stamping from the metal of the frame I05 so that bases or stems I20 of the tabs I20 may be inserted along the reverse face of the frame so that the heads of the tabs project from or beyond the upper edge thereof. In the present instance the printing device D has twelve tab receiving sockets I2I disposed in uniforml spaced relation, thereby to afford twelve primary index or identification positions and enable any one or more of twelve primary classifications of a printing device to be indicated by selective mounting of one or more index tabs I20 in the appropriate socket or sockets I2I.

As will hereinafter be described in detail, the heads of the tabs I20 in a sense may be subdivided into a plurality of subordinate control identifying areas, each of which may represent either a primary or a subordinate classification of a particular printing device, and thereby the number of available primary classifications may be rendered substantially greater than the number of tabmounting positions provided by the sockets I 2 I.

Thus the tabs I20 may be of the character shown in Figs. 5 and 6, which are known in the art as notched tabs, and in this instance onehalf of the width of the head of certain tabs 520 may be cut away or notched as in tab I20A in Fig. 5, thereby to provide what may be termed a half-width projection or tab portion I25A. With such half-width tab portions l25A, the number of possible available identifying or classification areas provided by the twelve sockets I2I is doubled, or in other words, twenty-four primary classifications are rendered available.

In certain other instances alarger number of possible identifying areas or primary classifications may be provided by means of tabs, and one such method of providing a larger number of classifications is by means of tabs I20B- shown in Figs. 1.4 and 15 of the drawings. The tabs I203 are known in the art as embossed tabs and the projecting area of each tab is divided into four areas in any one or more of which an embossure I25 may be formed. Thus the fact that a particular printing device D relates to a particular classification may be indicated by either the presence or the absence of an embossure I26 on the related area of a. particular tab IZQB. With this ccnstruction the twelve sockets I2I along the upper edge of each printing device D provide for the mounting of twelve tabs I20B, thereby to enable forty-eight primary classifications to be indicated by selective positioning of the suitably formed tabs in such sockets.

A forty-eight unit classification may also be attained by the use of tabs I200 shown in Figs. 16 and 1'? of the drawings. The tabs I200 are known in the art as perforated tabs and the projecting area of the tab may be in effect divideol into four classification areas. With this arrangement the fact that a printing device pertains to a particular classification may be indicated by the presence or absence of a perforation i2? in a particular area of a properly positicned tab IZQC.

Through the use of selector mechanism such as that which will hereinafter be described, the number of possible classifications obtainable with tabs of a particular size may be materially increased, and in Fig. 18 of the drawings there is illustrated a series of tabs IZOD of the perforated type wherein the area assigned to each identifying means or classification is materially smaller than with the tabs I200. Thus the tabs IZOD are each divided in effect into five identifying areas, thereby enabling sixty primary classifications to be obtained through the use of but twelve mounting sockets I2I.

The printing means While the printing or impression means, which is operative in each printing cycle, may take many different forms, and is influenced as to form and construction by character and form of the printing devices D, I have herein shown a printing means in the form of a platen mechanism P which constitutes one form of impression means adapted for cooperation with embossed type such as the type characters I I6. The platen mechanism P chosen for disclosure herein is of the geared roller type, and is fully described in my copending application, Ser. No. 361,530, filed October 17, 1940, and reference may be had to said copending application for details of structure and operation thereof. The platen mechanismP, as herein shown, is supported over a printing position V by means of a printing frame I34 having an upstanding connecting portion I35 which projects upwardly from table top T. The upwardly projecting portion I35 of the printing frame has an arm I34 formed integrally thereon So as to project toward the printing position V in upwardly spaced relation with respect to the table top T, and at its forward end the arm I34 has a supporting head I36 beneath which the platen mechanism P is mounted. The form and construction of the printing frame I34 is fully disclosed in my copending application, Ser. No. 350,678, filed August 3, 1940, now issued as Patent No. 2,275,439, patented March 10, 1942. In the present instance the platen mechanism P embodies a carriage C which is mounted for reciprocation in a direction from front to rear of the machine upon a track which is formed on a vertically adjustable mounting plate I31.

Beneath the carriage C a platen roller PR is supported for vertical movement through the medium of a toggle mechanism I38 so that the platen roller PR may be moved from its elevated inactive position of Fig. 3 to a lower or active position. When the platen roller PR is in its lower or active position, it may be moved with a rolling action across the upper face of a sheet or form so as to press the sheet into printing cooperation with a printing device D located at printing position, as described in my aforesaid copending application Ser. No. 361,530.

In a printing cycle, the platen mechanism P is actuated so that the carriage moves forwardly through a conditioning stroke in the course of which the toggle mechanism I38 is actuated so as to move the platen roller PR to its lower or active position. Such actuation of the carriage C is accomplished by means which includes a rock shaft I39 mounted in the upper arm I34 parallelto the forward edge IIII of the frame. The rock shaft I39 has an arm I40 fixed thereto, rearwardly of the carriage C and'this arm is connected by means of links I4I so as to actuate the carriage C. The required actuation of the toggles I38 is effected in timed relation I35 of the printing frame.

tion to the reciprocation of the carriage C by means including a link I42. After the carriage C has reached the forward limit of its movement, it is started through its return or operative stroke, and during this operative stroke the toggle mechanism I 38 is maintained in its extended position, thereby to maintain the platen roller PR in its lower or active position. As the platen roller is moved rearwardly, a resilient platen face PF formed thereon is rolled across the top of the sheet so as to press the sheet into printing cooperation with an inking ribbon IR which overlies the printing device D then located at the printing position.

Such printing cooperation of the sheet with the inking ribbon with th printing device D is permitted by reason of a printing opening I42 which is provided in a sectional shield I43 mounted in the table top T. In the performance of such printing operations the sheet is preferably positioned through the medium of a rear guide or sheet stop I44 and one or more side guides I45, the side guides being adjustably mounted on a. forward rail I46 which is disposed along the forward edge ll of the table top T.

As described in my copending application Ser. No. 388,998, filed April 17, 1941, the machine which is herein illustrated is so constructed and arranged that an unusually deep throat is provided beneath the printing frame I34, and the construction is such that the throat possesses substantial depth not only in a direction from front to rear of the machine but also in a direction laterally of the machine or in other words parallel'to the forward edge IOI. Thus it will be observed that the printing frame I34 is so disposed that while the supporting head I36 thereof is located over the printing position V, the upwardly extending portion I35 of the printing frame is located a substantial distance rearwardly and to the right of the printing position, as will be evident in Figs. 1 and? of the drawings. Hence it will be clear that a relatively wide sheet may, when the sheet stop I 44 is removed, be shifted rearwardly past the left-hand side of the por- Similarly an even wider sheet may be extended in a rearward direction for a considerable distance from printing position V until such sheet engages the forward'face of the portion I35 of the printing frame. With this construction the capacity of the machine is substantially increased and the usefulness of the machine is materially extended. With the connecting portion of the printing frame I34 thus located a substantial distance rearwardly and laterally ofthe printing position V, the arm I34 extends in an angular direction along or across the table top T. When the elements of the machine are disposed as hereinabove described, the magazine M may be located adjacent to the connecting portion I35 of the printing frame, and when so located the magazine M is positioned adjacent to the right-hand end of the table top T to thereby facilitate the loading of the magazine.

The printing device advancing and guiding means printing devices D are supported in a stacked relationship in' the magazine M with their operative printingf aces facing upwardly and with their upper or tab-receiving edges facing rearwardly.

The printing devices D are then withdrawn or advanced one by one from the bottom of the magazine M, and are advanced in a step by step manner along a printing device guideway to the printing position V Whereat each printing device D, in turn, comes to rest over an anvil A in position to have a printing impression made therefrom. t

In the present printing machine printing devices D are withdrawn from the magazine M along a guideway concealed beneath the table top T, and in attaining the desired throat capacity as well as other desirable features of operational and structural convenience and simplicity in the machine, a fully set forth in my aforesaid copending application Ser. No. 388,998, this guideway is preferably constructed and arranged in the manner illustrated in said copending application.

In such an arrangement of the printing device advancing and guiding means, the printing devices D are, in one cycle of the machine, advanced forwardly from a station I, Fig. 2, in the magazine M along an initial printing device path or guideway I50 to a sensing station II whereat the printing device comes to rest so that means S may sense any tabs which may be carried by the printing device; and in the next advancing cycle, the printing device is advanced forwardly along the initial path or guideway I50 and comes to rest at a transfer station IIT. The advancing movement of a printing device from the sensing station II to the transfer station II-T takes place, in the present embodiment, in the first half of the machine cycle, and in the second half of the cycle, the printing device is advanced to the left in Fig. 2 along an intermediate guideway I60 to an intermediate station III. The intermediate guideway I60 extends parallel to the forward edge IOI of the table top I to a point located rearwardly of the printing station V, at which point it intersects with a final guideway I which extends forwardly through and past printing position.

In the next cycle of machine operation the printing device D at station III is advanced to the left to an intermediate station IV located in the intermediate guideway I60, while the next cycle of advancing operation further advances this printing device to the left along the intermediate guideway I60 to a transfer station IVT formed at the juncture of the intermediate guideway I60 and the final guideway I10. The present machine is such that in the next cycle of operation of the advancing means the printing device D at the transfer station IVT is advanced forwardly into printing position at the printing station V, and if a printing operation is to be performed from this printing device, the platen mechanism P operates through its forward or conditioning stroke While the particular printing device is being advanced to printing position. After the printing device D has come to rest on the anvil A, the platen mechanism P operates through its return or operative stroke so as to produce a printing impression from the printing device during the last half of the machine cycle.

In the next advancing cycle, the printing device at printing station V is advanced forwardly .and is allowed to drop downwardly along a curved guideway I80 and into the forward end of the collector means K. This collector means includes a drawer holder or carrier I 8| which supports a filing drawer as shown in Fig. 3 so that suitable packer means may pack the printing devices in the drawer in their original filing order or sequence, as described in my aforesaid copending application Ser. No. 388,998.

The associated printing device guideways I50, I60 and I10 are preferably provided by a girder system which is supported immediately beneath the table top T upon spaced front and rear mounting or support bars I85 and I86, as shown in Fig. 2, the mounting bars I 85 and I86 being disposed parallel to the forward edge IUI of the frame I06 and being supported at their opposite ends on end panels I 01 and I of the frame. The girder system as herein shown has a pair of spaced parallel girders I5I and I52 which form the initial guideway, a pair of spaced girders I6I and- I62 which form the intermediate guideway I60, and a pair of spaced girders HI and I12 which form the final guideway I10; and suitable guide surfaces and upper retaining fianges or strips are provided along the upper edges of the various girders to guide the printing devices D intheir advancing movements.

The advancing means for imparting the desired advancing movement to the printing devices D preferably comprises a plurality of sets of carrier bars I53, I63 and I13 associated with and reciprocable along the guideways I50, I60 and Iia'i respectively, and having engaging means thereon for engaging and advancing the printing devices along the guideways. On the carrier bars I53 a pair of forwardly facing shoulders I54 serve to engage and advance the printing devices from the magazine to sensing station II; while a pair of spring biased pawls I55 serve to engage and advance printing devices from station II to the transfer station IIT. On the carrier bars I63, three pairs of spring biased pawls I65 are provided at properly spaced points so that in an advancing or left-hand movement of the carrier bars I63, the pairs of pawls I65 each engage one of the printing devices D in the guideway I60 and advance each printing device to the next station. On the carrier bars I13 two pairs of spring biased pawls I15 are provided which operate similarly to impart advancing movements to the printing devices in the final guideway I10. 7

Th carrier bars I53 of the initial guideway I50 and the carrier bars I13 of the final guideway are actuated in unison by means of similar actuating arm I56 and I16 which are fixed on opposite ends of a rock shaft I51. The shaft I51 is mounted on a bearing sleeve I51 fixed in the lower arm I34 of the printing frame I34 so that the arm I56 is supported beneath the guideway I50 while the arm I16 is located beneath the guideway I10, and the arms I56 and I16 are operatively connected to the carrier bars I53 and I13 respectively by means such as 'connecting links I 58 and I18. Thus when the shaft I51 is rocked, the carrier bars I 53 and I13 are first moved forwardly through their advancing strokes, and are then returned rearwardly through their idle strokes, in unison. The carrier bars I63 of the intermediate guideway I60 are actuated in timed relation to the carrier bars I 53 by means of a link and lever connec tion I61 which is provided between the arm I56 and the carrier bars I 63, as described in detail in my'aforesaid copending application Ser. No. 388,998. The link and lever connection I61 is such that the carrier bars I63 move through their idle strokes to the right from the position of Fig. 4 during the active or forwardly advancing strokes of the carrier bars I53 and I13, and are moved to the left or through their active strokes while the carrier bars I53 and I13 are moving through their rearward or idle strokes.

Means is provided in association with the several guideways to prevent retrograde movement of the printing devices therein, this means in the intermediate guideway comprising a plurality of detent pawls I68 mounted on a stationary bar I69 alongthe central portion of the guideway I60.

At the sensing station 11 and at the printing station V, such undesired retrograde movement is prevented by means which also serves to accurately position the printing devices for the performance of the sensing and printing operations respectively. Thus at the sensing station II a positioning pawl I90 is pivoted at its forward end I9I on the girder I6I and has a pointed positioning tooth I92 adapted to engage a positioning notch I93 formed in the. adjacent end of the frame of the printing device. Forwardly of the tooth I92 the pawl I90 has a stop finger I94 which may also project into the guideway I50 to prevent overfeeding or overthrow of the printing device past sensing station. At printing posi-' tion .V a generally similar positioning pawl I90 ispivoted at its rear end at I9I on the rail I1I, andhas a positioning tooth I92 thereon adapted to project into the guideway I10 to engage the notch I93 of the printing device at printing position. At its forward endthe pawl I90 has a stop finger I94 which is adapted to be positioned in theguideway I10 to prevent overfeeding of the printing devices past printing position.

The two, positioning pawls I90 and I90 are actuated in timed relation to the reciprocatory movements of the carrier bars I53 and I13 by means of a pair of links I95 and I95 which are connected to arms I96 and I96 of a bell crank I91. The bell crank I91 is mounted beneath a rear portion of the girder HI, and the link I95 extendsto the right from a pin and slot connection with the forward end of the arm I96 and is conected at its right-handend to the forward I90. The'link I95 extends forward y from the arm I96 and is connected at its forward end to an arm I90" of the pawl I90. A spring I98 acting longitudinally of the link I95 and between this link I95 and the link I95 serves to impart a yielding actuating force to the pawl I90 at certain points in its cycle; while a spring I98 acting longitudinally with respect to the link I95 and between the arm I96 and the link I95 serves to impart a similar yielding force to the pawl I90 at certain points in its cycle of movement.

As will hereinafter be described in detail, the bell crank I91 is so actuated that the positioning teeth and the stop fingers of the two pawls I90 and I90 are completely withdrawn from the associated guideways I50 and I10 before the advancing movements of the printing devices in these guideways are initiated. As soon as the printing devices at the printing and sensing stations have been advanced past the adjacent stop fingers, the pawls I90 and I90 are returned toward the positions of Fig. 4 so that the positioning teeth are still outside of the guideways, while the stop fingers thereof are projected a short distance into the guideways. Hence the advancing printing devices may strike the stop fingers so as to be positioned in a preliminary end of the pawl sense at the sensing and printing stations. After the forward advancingmovements of the carrier bars I53 and H3 have been completed, the positioning pawls I and I90 are shifted further toward their active positions of Fig. 4, this action being accomplished through the yielding action of springs I98 and I98. Hence the positioning teeth I92 and I92 are forced into the V-shaped positioning notches I93 of theprinting devices D at the sensing and printing stations, thereby to impart a final positioning action to'these printing devices which accurately locates each printing device. Thus the desired registry of the printing impression is invariably attained; while the accuracy of location of the printing device at the sensing station is effective to produce accurate sensing operation of thesensing means S in each instance.

The main drive mechanism The main actuating or drive assembly of the present machine is located in the generally triangular space rearwardly of the lower arm I34 of the printing frame; and the actuating assembly includes a drive shaft 200 rotatably mounted in a horizontal position immediately forwardly of the rear supporting bar I34 by means of a plurality of bearing brackets 20I, 202 and 203 each of which is bolted to and carried by the bar I86. Adjacent the left-hand end (Fig. 2) of the shaft 200 a constantly. rotating source of power such as a pulley 204 is provided, the pulley in the present instance being rotatably mounted on the shaft 200. During periods of us of the printing machine the pulley 204 is constantly driven by means such as an electric motor 205, there being a suitable speed reducing drive connection between the motor 205 and the pulley 204. The motor 205 is controlled by a switch 206 mounted within the frame I00 behind the upper front panel 201 thereof, and this switch is actuated and controlled by means of a control slide 200 (Fig. l). which extends forwardly through the panel 201 and into the right hand 201 thereof. The control slide 201 is so arranged that when the slide is positioned inwardly the motor 205 is stopped and when the slide is pulled outwardly the switch 206 is closed and the motor is started. In the present instance the motor 205 is mounted on the rear side of a skirt 209 which defines the rear extent of the kneehole of the desk like frame I00 and is connected between the end panels I81 and I89 of the frame I00.

The mounting for the motor 205, which is best illustrated in Fig. 3, comprises a pair of spaced vertical channel members 2 I0 secured as by welding to the back of the skirt 209 and having bolt and slot connections which support a motor mounting bracket 2| I. The bracket 2I I is preferably formed from sheet metal to provide a body or base portion with projecting arms at opposite ends thereof. The arms are formed at their ends to cooperate with clamping bands in engaging resilient rubber mounting sleeves which surround the axially projecting bearing hubs of the motor 205.

The speed reducing belted drive connection between the motor 205 and the pulley 204 is best shown in Fig. 3 and comprises a small pulley 230 fixed on the motor shafts and connected by a belt 23I to a large pulley 232 which is rotatably mounted on a bearing stud 232 carried on a mounting plate 233. The mounting plate 233 is generally triangular in form and is located in a vertical plane. A small pulley 236 mounted on the stud 232 and rigid with the'pulley 232 is connected by a belt 23'! to a large pulley 238 rotatably mounted on a bearing stud 238 projecting from the plate 233; and rigid with the pulley 238 is a double pulley 233 of small diameter which is connected by a pair of parallel belts 240 to the pulley 204.

Thus the pulley 202 is constantly driven at reduced speed during the operation of the motor 205, and this constantly available source of driving power is, through the medium of properly interrlated actuating and control mechanism, utilized to actuate the various operative parts and mechanisms of the machine. In the present machine it is often desirable that certain mechanisms or groups of mechanisms be capable of operation independently of certain other mechanisms or groups ofmechanisms, as for example, in what is known as multiple or repeat operation of the machine where the platen mechanism P is to be operated through a plurality of printing operations while the same printing device D re mains stationary at printing position; or as another instance, in what is known as skip operation of the machine wherein the platen'mechanism P remains inoperative while one or more printing devices D are passed through printing position. In order that such selective operation may be attained a plurality of independently connectible driving connections are provided in association with drive pulley 294 and the shaft 200,

such selective driving connections in the present instance being provided through the medium of a plurality of one revolution clutches 253, 25! and 252 disposed at spaced points along the shaft 209 as shown in Fig. 2. 1

The clutches 259, 25! and 252, are generally similar in form, and as shown in Fig. 2, the clutch 250 constitutes a main or master clutch and'is utilized to connect the pulley 254 to the shaft 200 so as to rotate the shaft through-one revolution each time some portion of the mechanism is to be actuated, While the clutches 25! and 252 constitute secondary clutches and are operatively associated respectively with the printing device advancing means and the platen mechanism P. The secondary clutches 25! and 252 are so arranged that they may be selectively utilized to connect the printing device advancing mecha nism or the platen mechanism individually or concurrently to the shaft 29!) for actuation thereby. The particular form of the clutches 25!], 25! and 252 is described in detail in my aforesaid copending application, Ser. No. 388,998, wherein it is pointed out that these clutches are generally similar in construction and operation. Thus each clutch has a hub-like driving member and a driven member in the form of a hollow hub partially surrounding the driving hub and adapted to be connected to the driving hub by a clutch pawl carried on the driven member.

While the operative connection of the drive mechanism to the platen mechanism P is described in detail in my copending application Ser. No. 361,530, filed October 1'7, 1940, it will be observed in Fig. 28 of the drawings that the forward end of the connecting rod 295 is pivotally connected to the end of an arm 295 which is fixed to the left-hand end of a shaft 295. The shaft 296 is mounted in a bearing sleeve 296f which extends through and is rigid with thelower arm i554" of the printing frame !34 in'the man ner described in detail in myaforesaid copending application Ser. No. 350,678, filed August 3, 1940'. At its right-hand end the shaft 296 has an'arm 29'! fixed thereto and rocking movement of the arm 291 is imparted to a vertically extending link 29'! which is connected at its lower end to the arm 29!. At its upper end the link 291 is connected to an arm 298 which is fixed to the righthand end of the shaft I39 which is mounted in a bearing sleeve (not shown) that extends through and is rigid with the upper arm I34 of the printing frame !34 as described in my aforesaid copending application Ser. No. 350,678. At its lefthand end the shaft I39 has the arms !40 fixed thereto and the arms I40 are operatively connected to the carriage C of the platen mechanism through the medium of a pair of links MI. The details of the drive connection are fully described in my aforesaid copending application Ser. No. 361,530 and, therefore, reference may be had to said application for details of form and function. The arrangement, however, is such that each time the clutch 252 drives the eccentric 290 through a complete revolution, the carriage C of the platen mechanism is reciprocated through an operative printing stroke and is returned to the retracted or rearward position shown in Fig. 28 of the drawings, and in order that smooth operation 'of the eccentric 290 and the associated mechanism may be assured, a contractual spring 2958 is connected between the arm 295' and an anchoring pin on the mounting bracket 203. Thus the spring 295s is tensioned during the forward or idle stroke of the platen mechanism and during the return or work-performing stroke of the platen mechanism the spring 295s serves to supply additional power for operating the platen mechanism.

For the purpose of controlling the machine to produce print, skip or repeat operation thereof, a plurality of manually actuatable means such as foot pedals 320, 32! and 322 are provided. These pedals are similar in form and mounting and are so located as to be capable of convenient actuation by an operator seated in front of the machine. To support the foot pedals 320, 32! and 322, a channel 323 is provided for each of the pedals mounted in a depending relation from the lower edge of the skirt 209 of the frame. Each pedal is pivoted at its rear end'to its supporting channel 323, as indicated at 324 in Fig. 3, and has a spring return means 325 associated therewith to urge the pedal to its normal elevated position. The arrangement of the pedals 320, 32! and 322 is such, in the present instance, that the pedal 329 constitutes the skip pedal and is operative to cause engagement of the printing device advancing clutch 25! the pedal 32! constitutes the repeat pedal and is operative to cause engagement of the platen clutch 252; While the pedal 322 constitutes the consecutive pedal and is operative in the normal or usual adjustment of the machine to cause concurrent engagement of the advancing and platen clutches 25! and 252.

As an incident to the operation of the printing device advancing means, the positioned pawls l9!) and H!!! are actuated as hereinbefore described, and such actuation is attained in timed relation to the movement of the printing devices D. To this end a cam assembly 38!! is rotatably mounted on the drive shaft 205 between the eccentric of the printing devicefeed and the clutch 252, and the cam assembly 38!! is fixed, by means such as a pinned connection, to said eccentric so as to be rotated each time the feed clutch 25! operates through its one revolution cycle. The cam assembly, as shown in Figs. 26 

